Variable speed drive for washing machines and the like



April 2, 1940.

VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE A. R. CARMICHAEL 2196.056

Filed 001:. 28, 1938 23 4L6 INVENTOR.

fl/vmnr A. (hen/010a.

Patented Apr. 2, 1940 VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE FOB WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Andrew R. Carmichael,

Fishers, Ind., alllgnor Black ;of one-half to Barry L.

Application October 28, 1938, Serial No. 237,431

20Claims.

This invention relates to a rotary-reciprocatory drive suitable for washing machines, and the like, although not necessarily restricted thereto.

The chief object of this invention is to provide 5 a drive which in one embodiment is adapted to transform rotational movement into reciprocatory movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein said power transformation is ef- 1o fected and which is capable of utilizing a constantly rotating source of power and deriving therefrom a continuous reciprocatory powe'r application at variable speeds and in variable amounts.

As applied to washing machines, for example, if the agitator in the machine is oscillated, it may be oscillated by a constantly rotating power shaft connected, for example, through a reduction drive to an electric motor and the adjustments so effected that said agitator in the washing compartment will oscillate at any desired speed and through any selected amount of degrees of rotation whether less than a revolution or a multiple thereof.

One feature of the specific embodiment of the invention is the inherent characteristic of the construction, whereby in the operation it is prac-. tically impossible to determine when the oscillator reaches the end of one stroke and starts the retlnn stroke. In other words, the transformation in direction is efiected in such a manner that there is no appreciable period of cessation of movement of the oscillator. I

As applied to a washing machine, this prevents the oscillator or agitator from imparting to-the materials being washed that slight kick or impulse which has certain disadvantages especially noticeable when very heavy articles, such as blankets, or the like, are being washed, because it will pack or mat the same and which also is highly objectionable in the washing of finer garments, such as silk underwear, and the like, because such impulse may tear such fragile articles.

The chief feature of the specific embodiment of the invention consists in the provision of three so-called concentric trunnion supported rings and so associating the same together that rotational power isexpeditiously and efliciently transformed into oscillating power. 1

Another feature of the basic invention consists in providing means for adjusting parts of the invention so that the-rate of reciprocation can be that desired within a relatively wide range and within the capacity of the adjustment provided for the purpose described.

Both features of the invention are accomplished without varying the rate of rotation of the source of power. The second mentioned feature is accomplished, as previously stated, without incorporating therein, the objectionable and 6 well known dwell" period at the' end of the stroke of the reciprocating member which is usually inherentin rotary to reciprocatory power transformations.

Other objects and features of the invention will 10 be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

Inthe drawing,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a conventional washing machine to which the invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the embodiment of the invention. 5

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line'33 of Fig. 2 and in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an'elevational view of the cable connection to one of the yoke ring supported partial sheaves.

In the drawing, ll indicates a framework supported by casters H and on a washing machine. The washing compartment or container is indicated by the numeral l2 and the same is closed by a conventional cover structure l3. Extending upwardly along one side of the same is a shaft construction enclosed within a protective tube or casing l4, and associated therewith and exposed thereby is the reversing control l8. The fixture I6 is swivably supported by the fixture l1 and the same is locked or controlled for adjusted. position by the control Ii. The fixture l6 supports the wringer structure l9 driven by a shaft, or the like, in a conventional manner'in either direction, depending upon the position of the control II. The wringer structure may be positioned as provided for, by mechanism I5 of this general character. The foregoing constitutes an illustrative example of a washing machine to which the invention is applied.

Anelectric motor-not shown-or any. other suitable source of rotational power, is enclosed within the casing 20 of the machine. Herein the same rotates a shaft and a worm2 I thereon which. meshes with a worm wheel 22 pinned'to the shaft 23. Shaft 23 is supported at its lower end in the combination worm housing and bearing structure .24. Italsoissupportedinabearingfl carriedby a main housing or casing 26, the latter being closed by the cover structure 21 from which rises a tubular extension 28. The tubular extension 28 supports the tube i4 and the shaft 23 therein, as

illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, extends from the support 24 upwardly into and through the fixture l1 and into the fixture l5.

Since the invention is directed primarily to the transformation of power other than the wringer operation, no further description is believed nec- 'essary relative to the mechanism enclosed by the structures I4, ii and I].

In aligned bearings 28 in the housing 28 are the trunnions I5. and supported thereby is a yoke ring structure II. The yoke ring structure supports, in the present embodiment of the invention, a pairof semi-circular sheaves 32. ,As shown in Fig. 5, the trunnion ll is rigid with the no yoke ring. It, however, need not-necessarily be so constructed since the trunnions may be rigid 'with the housing and oscillatably support the yoke ring. Furthermore it is to be understood that the-yoke ring need not be necessarily a 85 complete ring, for reasons which will appear more fully hereinafter.

- The housing 25 is provided with elongated apertures 33 and mounted on the sheave member I: is the cable 34. Herein a single cable 54 is an illustrated and the end of the cable passes through the passage in an enlargement 35 of the sheave in alignment with the grooved periphery Ila thereof. The free end of the cable projecting through the passage 35 has .suitably 55 secured thereto a stop member in the form of the stop collar 31 and the latter connection is eifected by the set screw 3|. The two cable portions projecting through the openings 33 are in substantial parallelism and each has a plurality 4o ofturnsaboutadrum39,eachdrumbeingformed at the end of a sleeve structure, the midportion of which is indicated by the numeral 45. The

cable has a portion 34a which extends from drum to drumsee Fig. 4and mounted thereon is a bearing member 4|.

The sleeve structure ll mounts an adjusting bolt 42 having the bearing portion for association with the socket 4la of the member 4|. As this bolt is moved towards and away from the so cable 34 between the drums, the tension of the entire cable arrangement is increased or decrease, as desired, so that the requisite tautness of the cable arrangement is secured to insure proper driving of the shaft 44, the upper end of which is suitably formed as at 440. to detachably receive the oscillator, not shown. The shaft 44 preferably is positioned centrally within the washing compartment l2 and has its end 4441 exposed therein and the oscillator per se is mounted so thereon in the washing compartment.-

In the present disclosure, the adjusting bolt 42 alsoservesasakey,orthelike,tozigidly secure the drum arrangement to the oscillator shaft. Any other means, however, may be proe5 vided and the drmn and oscillator shaft connection may be independent of the cable tautening arrangement. The number of turns of cable per drum determines the maximum amoimt of possible oscillation.

The foregoing constitutes the preferred form of power transferring mechanism from an oscillating member, the oscillating member being the yoke ring, and the primary oscillation is about the axis-see Fig. 3-including the trunnions 30.

Any other desired power transfer mechanism to an oscillatable shaft may, however, be provided in place of the drum partial sheave and cable structure, illustrated herein, since the fundamental invention consists in the arrangement now to be set forth. 5

The yoke ring 3| is provided with dlametrical apertures 45 and mounted therein are trunnions 46 carried by another ring or sleeve structure 41. This sleeve structure is of semi-cylindrical character, as indicated at flit-see Fig. 3-which is 10 necessary because of the peculiar association of said sleeve with another trunnion type ring, termed a collar, and indicated by the numeral 55.

The sleeve structure 41 may have the trunnions formed integral therewith but preferably said u trunnions by reason of the specific relationship of the parts herein illustrated, are rigid with the yokering. Theaxisofthetrunnionsflistransverse to the axis of the trunnions 3| and as will hereinafter be pointed out, said axes may be I coplanar or annularly arranged in addition to. the aforesaid transverse arrangement within the limits of adjustment provided by the mechanism hereinafter to be described. In brief, it may be stated that such a range is from approximately I coplanar relationship to approximately 45", compare Figs. 2 and 4.

The third trunnion ring-collar 5l-includes a cylindrical bore 4! and a pair of lateral projecting flanges 48 in spaced relation, forming a groove a in which is seated the two semi-circular sleeve forming portions 41. The sleeve is oscillatably supported in the groove of said collar 5|. The collar is pivotally pinned to the shaft 23 by the pin 5| which pin, as illustrated, extends entirely through the shaft II. The axis of the pin 5! or the trunnion arrangement is transverse to the axis of the trunnions 45 and the two axes intersect. In other words, they are coplanar. No relationship other than the fact that the axis of the trunnion arrangement 5| is coplanar with the axisofthetrunnions3l,canbestatedbecause pin 51 rotates by and with the shaft. No other relationship can be set forth with respect to theaxisoftrunnionsliandtheaxisofthepinll. 45

For rigidity of the construction and the like and if desired, for possible center support, the shaft 23 where it is associated with the collar, is provided with a spherical enlargement 52 nested in the cylindrical bore 4! of the collar II, the go opposite. ends of the bore being chamfered or otherwise relieved, as at 53. The bearing 25 adjacent said spherical enlargement is also suitably relieved as at 54 for clearance purposes.

The collar II is provided with an ear 55 aper- 55 tured as at 56 to receive a pin 5'! upon which is mounted a pair of spaced links 58, the links lying upon opposite sides of the shaft 23 and extending upwardly and being similarly secured at their upper and opposite ends by the pin 5! in the .0 aperture SI of a lug 8| carried by a grooved collar 62 having the groove 53 therein. This grooved collar by reason of the pin II, the collar ii and links 58 of necessity rotate by and with the shaft 23. This grooved collar, however, may be moved as axially on said shaft and the means for moving the same includes a yoke 54 having collar groove seatable portions 55 and carrying a hub portion 68 which is constrained against rotation by means of a pair of rods 51 which extend upwardly par- 70 allel to the shaft 23 and at their upper ends include laterally projecting portions 5. which slide in the elongated slots 55 formed in the tubular extension 2! upon the cover 21 of the housing 28.

A lever II is pivotally supported upon shaft 1 be provided two links 14,

H and a lever arm 12 is pivotally connected as at 13 to a link 14, the upper end of which is connected as at to the lateral projection 68 of one member #1 riding in its slot 69. The lever 12 may be of bifurcated character and there may if desired.

As the lever 10 is tilted, for example, from the position shown in Fig.2 clockwise, the link, or links, 14 will cause the rod members 61' to elevate and said elevation causes elevation of the yoke 64 which in turn carries with it the grooved collar 82, which through the links 58 tilts the yoke ring, the sleeve and the inner collar from a coplanar relationship, as shown in Fig. 2, to a tilted relation, such as shown in Fig. 4. When positioned as shown in Fig. 2, the rotary to oscillation drive is a minimum; when tilted as shown in Fig. 4, the rate of oscillation relative to the rotary drive is at a maximum. All of the foregoing assumes that the shaft 2| carrying the worm, similarly numbered, is a constantly unidirectional rotating shaft. The exposed and free end of the lever 10 is suitably connected to shaft H by hub portion 80, as at 8|. Shaft 1| preferably extends beneath and across the machine, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Lever 10 is adapted to be positioned in any one of a. plurality of notches 82 carried by a retaining member 83 secured to the washing compartment casing I2, as at 84. A dial arrangement may be associated therewith, if desired, and the same may indicate the range from silkblankets"general, if desired, or said indicator may indicate slow- "mediu1n or fast. Referencenow will be had briefly to the mechanism shown most clearly in the central portion of Fig. 2, in Fig. 3 and in the left central portion of Fig. 4 for'a complete understanding of the rotary-oscillatory .drive operation.

Shaft 23 in its rotation carries with it pin 5| 1 and collar 50 naturally rotates therewith. The ear or lug 55, links 58 and the grooved collar 62 also rotate therewith. In this rotation, movement is imparted to the intermediate trunnion ring or sleeve structure 41, it being remembered that by reason of mechanical construction, this sleeve is of two-part character. This ring being supported by trunnions 46 imparts a corresponding movement to the yoke ring 3! trunnioned in the housing 26 as at 30, and such yoke ring has the corresponding oscillatory movement which of necessity it transmits to the sheaves and through the same the cable 34 transmits the oscillatory movement to the shaft 44. The rate and amounts of oscillation is determinable by the adjustment effected through the exposed handlever 8| and this is directly associated with the grooved collar 62, as previously described.

When the invention is applied to a washing machine and it is so desired, or any other equivalent device when desired or necessary, there may be interposed between the source of power and the shaft 2| a suitable manually operable clutch for connecting the shaft to the source of power or for disconnecting the same therefrom. Such manually operable clutch control may have a member suitably exposed for ready actuation by the operator of the machine. Since such a clutch construction is old in the art, it is not herein illustrated and no claim specific thereto is made, but as stated, if, as and when desired, such a clutch may be incorporated in the entire power. arrangement withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the drawing and toregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a rotary-alternately rotatable drive suitable for washing machines, and the like, including the combination with a rotary shaft and an alternately rotatable member, of a power transmitting connection therebetween including a collar pivotally mounted on the shaft on an axis transverse to the shaft axis for rotation therewith, means for tilting said collar relative to the shaft axis, a sleeve pivotally mounted on said collar, and means pivotally connected to the sleeve and connected to the alternately rotatable member.

2. A drivevas defined by claim 1, characterized by the addition of a rotary shaft and a speed 23 changing gear connection between the shaft, and alternately rotatable member.

3. A drive as defined by claim 1, characterized by the addition of a rotary shaft, and a worm and worm wheel connection between the shafts.

4. A drive as defined by claim 1, characterized by the connection between the alternately rotatable member and sleeve including a sheave and cable arrangement. I

'5. A drive as defined by claim 1, characterized by the connection between the alternately rotatable member and sleeve including a drum, a sheave, and cable means connecting said drum and sheave.

A drive as defined by claim 1, characterized by the connection between the alternately rotatable atively tied thereto, and'a cable winding drum.

'1 A drive as defined by claim 1, characterized by the connection between the alternately rotatable member and sleeve including a segmental sheave, a cable having its opposite ends operatively tied thereto, a cable winding drum, and cable tautening means for one purpose described. 8. A drive as defined by claim 1, characterized by the connection between the alternately rotatable member and sleeve including segmental sheaves, a cable having its opposite ends operatively tied thereto, a cable winding drum of dual character and in spaced relation, and cable, tautening means engaging the cable between the ation, and means for retaining the last mentioned movable means in adjusted position.

11. A rotary-alternately rotatable drive including a frame, a member pivotally mounted first mentioned collar for speed threin, sheave means carried by the member, cable means engaging the sheave means and alternately movable in opposite directions, a sleeve rockably mounted within and upon the member, a collar rotatably mounted within the sleeve, a rotatable shaft, and means pivotally connecting the collar upon the shaft for simultaneous rotation of the collar and shaft.

12. In a rotary-alternately rotatable drive, the combination of at least three trunnion supported concentric rings, the trunnion axis of the two spaced apart rings being co-planar and transverse to each other, and the trunnion'axes of the intermediate ring and one of the spaced apart rings being co-planar and transverse to each other, the intermediate ring and one of the spaced rings having an oscillatory connection, and the trunnion axes of the intermediate ring and the other spaced ring being transverse to each other.

13. A drive as defined by claim 12; characterized by the addition of means for adjusting one of the rings whereby the axes of the intermediate ring and said other spaced ring in addition to being transverse to each other may be adjusted to any other angularity from approximately coplanar relationship to approximately 45 relationship. 14. A drive as defined by claim 12, characterized by the addition of means for adjusting oneof the rings whereby the axes of the intermediate ring and said other spaced ring in addition to being transverse to each other may be adjusted to any other angularity from approximately coplanar relationship to approximately 45 relationship, said means effecting such adjustment through the said other spaced ring.

15. A drive as defined by claim 1, characterized by the collar having a bore therein through which the rotary shaft extends, and by the ad dition of a spherical enlargement on said shaft and in said bore and juxtapositioned relative thereto for the purpose set forth.

16. A drive as defined by claim 12, characterized by the addition of a rotatable shaft, the three trunnion supported rings encircling said rotatable shaft, the latter extending through the innermost ring, means operatively associated with one end of the shaft for rotating same, and other means operatively associated with the other end of the shaft for rotational driving purposes, and means associated with the outermost ring for oscillatory driving purposes.

17. A drive as defined by claim 12, characterized by the addition of a rotatable shaft, the three trunnion supported rings encircling said rotatable shaft, the latter extending through the innermost ring, means operatively associated with one end of the shaft for rotating same, other means operatively associated with the other end of the shaft for rotational driving purposes, means associated with the outermost ring for oscillatory driving purposes, and a spherical enlargement on said shaft and in the innermost ring and juxtapositioned relative to the bore thereof for the purpose set forth.

18. In a rotary-alternately rotatable drive, the combination of at least two" trunnion supported concentric ring structures, an external alternately rotatable shaft, an internal rotary shaft, and means connecting the external ring structure to the alternately rotatable shaft, the ring structures being co-planar and the trunnion axes being transverse to each other.

19. In a rotary-alternately rotatable drive, the combination of at least two trunnion supported concentric ring structures, an external alternately rotatable shaft, an internal rotary shaft,

- means connecting the external ring structure to the alternately rotatable shaft, the ring structures being co-planar and the trunnion axes being transverse to each other, and means for tilting both ring structures relative to the rotary shaft axis.

20. In combination a rotating shaft, an externally grooved member thereabout and pivotally connected to the shaft upon an axis transverse to the shaft, a yoke arrangement having inwardly directed opposed membersseatable in the groove of the grooved member, a member rotatable with the shaft and slidable thereon for tiltable adjustment of the grooved member relative to the shaft, a second shaft operatively connected to the yoke arrangement for alternate rotation of the second mentioned shaft in the rotation of the first mentioned shaft, and means straddling the shaft and connecting the rotatable and slidable member to the grooved member for the purpose described and dynamic balancing.

ANDREW R. CARMICHAEL. 

